Maritime Planning at Smaller Scales

Operational planning and analysis of maritime facilities has traditionally been confined to examination of large facilities, where large capital investments and potential operating costs merit the time and effort required. With the advent of integrated port planning tools, the time and effort for essential planning have been reduced. Planning at smaller scales is now feasible and productive within the constraints of limited time and budget. Planning at smaller scales focuses on tactically planning the layout of the site and its operations. Operating requirements must be met while making sure that heavy equipment and workers can move safely in a confined space. Visualization of the operating space is crucial in communicating with facility operating staff and establishing consensus. Capital limitations must be respected as well as constraints imposed by existing labor relationships and labor deployment rules. The paper demonstrates, through a series of case studies, how advanced planning techniques can be applied to create viable solutions at smaller scales. The four case studies include container on barge facility within a larger terminal, dedicated reefer storage and service facility, logistics support facility serving a larger port complex, and small dry bulk facility in a new port complex.